


A Little Retail Therapy Can’t Hurt

by InsaneJuliann



Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2020 [2]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Eddie Diaz Week 2020, Gen, I think it could still make some sense outside of Evolution? Just know Marisol is Eddie's cousin, Marisol is said OC in this, This is like - a Behind the Scenes piece for FUTURE EVOLUTION EVENTS, but I'm not putting it in the series because reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24748243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsaneJuliann/pseuds/InsaneJuliann
Summary: Day 2: Mr. Diaz Goes to TherapyEddie's a little worried and stressed because Buck's hiding something. His cousin's solution is apparently to drag him shopping with her.
Relationships: mentioned Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1- TV)
Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789495
Comments: 7
Kudos: 76
Collections: Eddie Diaz Week 2020





	A Little Retail Therapy Can’t Hurt

**Author's Note:**

> SO. This is, technically, part of the Evolution of Buddie series. It's a BtS piece for something that hasn't yet happened, so maybe a bit spoilery though I keep everything nice and vague. :)
> 
> Why, you may ask, is it not in the Evolution series then? 
> 
> Because I'm going to probably send it over to there once I hit the time frame. I may just copy it into the BtS chaptered fic when I do it? Not sure yet how would work best, but yeah. It'll be over there eventually.
> 
> Do you need to read Evolution of Buddie to understand this? Eh, probably not. All I think you really need to know to get this is that Eddie and Buck are in a new-ish relationship, and Marisol is Eddie's (younger) cousin.

“This is ridiculous,” Eddie grumbled, getting out of Mari’s car. It was small and he’d felt all crammed up inside of it, like those cartoon clowns.

“You’re just determined to be in an absolute funk,” Marisol said, rather cheerfully. “Just tell yourself this is more for me, than for you. I had a shitty day at work and we’ll call this _my_ retail therapy.”

He rolled his eyes, but said, “What happened at work?”

Mari snorted, rather grimly. “What didn’t happen?” She shook her head. “It was a bunch of stupid little things, you know, like spilling my coffee and forgetting my lunch and stuff. Then to top it off, I got lectured by one of the other part-timers who thinks that she knows more than I do for a variety of reasons, starting with her own pretentious ego, and I had to bite my tongue because I can’t have rumors started that I’m ‘difficult to work with’.” She yanked a shopping cart angrily from the line. “She treats me like I don’t know what I’m doing, and I did it all just fine, but it wasn’t exactly her way, therefore it was wrong.”

Eddie frowned. He wasn’t any good at comforting people, never had been. He was trying to work on it, but things like this, he didn’t know what to say, or what Mari wanted him to say. “I’m sorry that your day sucked,” he offered.

She heaved a heavy sigh. “Thanks. Anyway. My friend and I usually do this, when we’re stressed, but she’s off for a work conference in Tennessee for the next week so.”

“I’m your replacement then,” Eddie joked.

She eyed him up and down critically, clearly joking. “I guess you’ll do.”

He huffed a laugh. Mari sure seemed to know where she was going, at least, heading straight towards a certain section of clothing. Eddie tried to steel himself for what was possibly going to be a long trip.

It wasn’t as bad as he thought though. Marisol didn’t linger over anything. She grabbed a hat and put it on her head, striking a ridiculous pose that had Eddie snorting in laughter. She grabbed the most horribly colored jacket, pulling it on and insisting that she could pull it off, even as her own grin grew and her voice stuttered with laughter. She tried on some sunglasses and wore them for a few minutes as she cooed over a few of those thin sweaters Eddie didn’t get the point of.

She put _two_ of them in her cart before moving on, shoving the sunglasses on top of her head. It looked particularly silly, with the big tag hanging off one of the arms.

“So, what’s been going on with you?” She waggled her brows. “Any juicy details about you and Buck to share?”

“I’ve told you before, I’m not sharing _details_ with you.”

“Spoilsport,” she said good naturedly. “Things are good then?”

Eddie hesitated. Things weren’t bad, precisely, but something was going on with Buck. Buck wouldn’t tell him about it, which worried Eddie more than maybe it should. Buck didn’t have to tell him everything. Buck keeping something to himself didn’t mean he didn’t trust Eddie, or was rethinking their relationship, or-

“Things are not good, if you’re making that face.” Marisol paused, frowning. “What’s going on?”

Eddie shrugged, looking away from her prying eyes and pretending to look at a rack of children’s clothes. All of it was too small for Chris, really, so it wasn’t like he was fooling anyone.

“I don’t know.”

“Have you asked him?”

Eddie gave her a flat look. Of course he’d _asked Buck_ what was wrong.

She shrugged, unrepentant. “Hey, I know you, and your communication skills, while improved lately, still kind of suck.”

“Wow,” he said dryly. “You really are making me feel so much better. You’re right this was helpful.”

“Oh shut it.” She shoved his shoulder. “I’m just saying. I had to be sure you had done the obvious thing.” She grew thoughtful, frowning a bit. “Buck never struck me as the type to keep everything all locked up.” Marisol glanced at him, and Eddie realized after a moment she wanted to know if she’d been right about that or not.

He opened his mouth – and hesitated. “Usually,” he said slowly. “But sometimes he clams up, I don’t know.” He thought about how fine Buck had seemed – until suddenly he was worrying about being left and Red died and he refused to talk about it to anyone. Eddie would have been more worried, if he hadn’t overheard Chim telling Hen that Buck had at least talked to Maddie about it.

Mari hummed. They continued walking, quietly for a bit, until suddenly Marisol was stopping and darting into the men’s clothing. She came out with a ridiculous patterned shirt, holding it up almost smugly.

“I don’t think Vic would wear that.”

“He wouldn’t,” she said simply. “I was thinking for you.”

Eddie sputtered, shaking his head, not sure if he wanted to laugh or protest. It was _not_ something he would _ever_ wear, thanks.

She waggled it at him. “Just put it on.”

“Here?”

“Yes, Eddie, here.” She wiggled the shirt at him more impatiently. “Just put it on over your undershirt, just to see.”

He eyed her, but she had that stubborn look on her face so sighing loudly, he did as she told. He held his arms out sarcastically, scowling when she held up her phone and took a picture.

“You’re the worst,” he muttered, yanking it off angrily and shoving it and the hanger on top of a clothing display.

Marisol didn’t even look up, tapping away at her phone. “Love you too cuz.”

They browsed the movies, the books, the toys – Marisol kept insisting she wanted to get Chris something and Eddie had to talk her down from the more ridiculous or expensive choices. She ended up getting him a boardgame of some sort with almost cartoon-ish figures that was supposedly some kind of choose your own adventure style of game. Eddie figured Buck and Chris would enjoy it. He grabbed a set of blocks that caught his eye, figuring he could follow Marisol’s lead and spoil a cousin’s kid too. Samuel was just a little baby, but the blocks were big and made of a rubbery like material, so probably would be great when he started teething.

Somehow, by the time they were back at the front of the store, Eddie had a small pile of random shit he’d grabbed – Buck’s favorite snack bars, some soda bottles, a thing of ice cream he and Chris both liked, the blocks. Marisol had a small pile too, also rather random like his own.

“You can’t make Buck talk,” she said as they got in line, surprising Eddie. “But, you know, I’m sure Buck knows he can come to you when he’s ready to. Just give him some time, show him that you’re not going anywhere, that kind of thing. It’s probably nothing to do with you, or your relationship, Eddie.”

Probably she was right. Buck was still coming over, spending time with him and Chris, still being affectionate and sweet in the comfort of Eddie’s home. He needed to be patient. And it wasn’t like he couldn’t find some other way to make Buck feel better, if only for a little while.

“I guess.”

She rolled her eyes. “’I guess’ he says,” she grumped pointedly. “As if not all of my advice is good advice.”

He raised a brow, glancing at her sideways. “I don’t know, remember that summer that you suggested we-“

Marisol reached out as if she was going to clap her hand over his mouth, loudly saying, “Okay enough about you, let’s talk about Yareli instead now.”

Eddie laughed, catching her hand easily, grinning slyly. “Oh? Do you not remember-“

“So Yareli!” Marisol interrupted again, loud and false-brightly. “She’s thinking of going back to school next year! Let’s talk about the future instead of the past, Eddie.”

Snorting, he let her change the subject.

Later, when she pulled up into her driveway, she turned to him instead of moving to get out. Eddie waited.

“So, that was nice. Thanks for coming with me.”

“No problem.” He meant it too. While he’d initially dreaded it, it had ended up being – kind of fun. It’d been nice, spending some time with Marisol. He had to admit that he felt… more relaxed, too. Sure, nothing had been fixed; Marisol hadn’t had some magical solution to what was going on in Eddie’s life. But she had listened, and she’d reassured him, and she’d distracted him.

“Thanks,” he said, a bit awkwardly. “For – you know. Trying to help. It did.”

She grinned, a little wry. “I told you, retail therapy really does work wonders on stress.”

Eddie was pretty sure it was less the retail aspect, and more the time with someone and the distractions offered in a store. “Well. If you need company again….”

“I’ll hit you up some time,” she agreed.


End file.
